It was pointed out to me recently that there weren’t many ‘sweet treats’ on my blog in relation to the not-so-sweet (here you go – 2 in the space of a week! x). There’s good reason for that – I am much more of a savoury girl. With that said though, there are some sweets that I really do adore and this berry sour cream crumble cake is one of them. I shared this recipe yesterday as a lovely way to finish our Turkish class at Relish Mama, ‘The dishes of Istanbul’ and I thought you might all like a slice of it here also.

I made another of these after class and took it home to share with my family and my Mother & Father in law who were having their last night with us after visiting from Tasmania. We enjoyed it warm with a good dollop of yoghurt. One unnamed daughter went for thirds!! Needless to say, it was heavenly.

Enjoy.

Nellie

x

If you like your cakes to appear a little taller, opt for a 20cm cake tin rather than the 23cm that I mention and prefer.

Berry sour cream crumble cake
Serves 8-10

You can use yoghurt if you don’t have sour cream and use any frozen berry you fancy.

To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt in a bowl until well blended. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork, stirring until the butter is absorbed and the dry ingredients are uniformly moistened. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Butter and flour the base and sides of a 23 cm square cake tin.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda and salt until well blended.

Toss the blackberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture until the berries are evenly coated. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream and vanilla extract. Set aside.

Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand-mixer. With the paddle attachment, beat at medium speed for around 4–5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.

Lower the speed and add the flour in three batches, alternating with the sour cream. When the batter is smooth, use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the blackberries. Scrape into the prepared cake tin and smooth the surface.

Sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over the surface, breaking up any large lumps with your fingers. Bake the cake for about 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and leave to cool completely, still in its tin.

Cut into squares and serve from the tin with tea or coffee or as dessert.

This delicious frozen berry cake is light & refreshing and the perfect dessert to serve Christmas day (along with a feast of other dishes too or it just would’t be my family Christmas table without waaaaaay too much food and waaaaaay too much choice).

I usually make 2 of these as it keeps beautifully in an airtight container for up to 1 month in the freezer. Perfect for those post Christmas catch up’s and warm summer nights.

Line the base of a 26-28cm springform cake tin with baking paper or greaseproof paper.

Pour biscuit crumbs into a bowl and add the coconut, cinnamon and melted butter. Stir well to combine. Press firmly in to the base of the cake tin. Refrigerate with you make the filling.

Place egg whites, sugar, sliced strawberries, lemon juice and vanilla in a clean dry bowl of an electric beater. Beat on high for 6-8 mins until mixture is very thick and fluffy and the sugar is dissolved. You should not feel any gritty sugar (test by rubbing between your fingers) after this time. Spoon over chilled base, smooth top, cover with baking paper and freeze for at least 4 hours. Will keep in airtight container in freezer for up to a month.

For the berry syrup :

Berry Syrup
Makes approx 2 cups

This syrup can be used in cocktails and as a tangy sauce for desserts. It can be swirled through yoghurt or ice cream and drizzled over a knock out chocolate cake. A very handy thing to keep in your fridge. This syrup will keep, covered in the fridge for up to 10 days.

3 cups frozen berries
½ cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons of water

Put the berries in a saucepan and add the sugar and water. Bring to a simmer. Remove the saucepan from the heat and press the berries through a sieve or mouli to extract the juice and remove the seeds.

Some days you just know you are going to get winded. You eyes adjust to the light, to what day it is, to what lies ahead and some days, you are prepared for it. On other days, like today, it comes as a complete surprise….. punched, wounded, winded and all before 9am. When you are winded, it is so hard to stand up straight. So hard to pull those shoulders back. I feel like that now and so I write……….knowing this is what always helps me.

The kids all went back to school today. Not all of them wanted to and nor did I want them to but it’s all part of the gig…all something we need to accept, embrace and march forward (hopefully), with enthusiasm each term. I think we all love that break in routine, in fact, we cherish it. Our house is a little crazy. It’s a ‘good crazy’ but crazy just the same. One of my girls put her brakes on today. All very last minute and with no orange warning light for me beforehand – I was caught off guard. I was actually secretly waiting for another of my little ones to hold all limbs against the classroom door frame but no, she just cruised on in by herself (maybe they know there is only so far you can push a Mother!). I was trying to do the ‘good Mother’ thing and spend a moment in all three of their classrooms this morning. I don’t know who I was kidding – that never happens and I’m lucky if I even get to press my face up against the glass of the second class room as it closes in my face by some small child, doing his or her job, as ‘door monitor’ not yet appreciating that it kills a Mother if she hasn’t been fair……hasn’t kissed all three….hasn’t spent equal time with them all. “I’ll be first to yours tomorrow” I might mouth through the glass, hand on heart with 26 children looking at you like you are a freak. I don’t care – they might be the same one day. I was winded by a child desperately wanting to stay with me…..telling me she’ll start tomorrow and that she would spend one more day with me. I know a lot of you have been through it. I know it doesn’t sound like a big deal. I know she will be okay and I know that right now she will be happily playing with her friends on the school yard whilst I am still finding it so hard to stand up straight, to get on with my work day, to slowly but surely, ease my shoulders back.

This Mother gig is THE best gig I have and will ever have but it is also, by far, the hardest. I remember looking lovingly at my Mum as a child and admiring her and thinking how lucky I was to have someone who loved me so much and who had the answers. My Mum knew exactly what to do at exactly the right moment and I now know that my girls think exactly the same of me. It still surprises me that this gig is all ‘on the job’ training and quite a lot of trial and error. It is all about trusting your gut, loving like you have never loved before and making sure they feel that love at every single moment – even if, at that moment, I am screaming at the top of my lungs. It’s about hugging them tight, being so strong, holding back your tears and telling them they need to walk through that door. They need to be brave. I need to be brave. Half an hour later, I leave the class room. What a beautifully understanding teacher she has. I changed tact – I didn’t rush (not usually something that comes easily for me) and I held her hand until she was ready to let go. I was late for my 10 o’clock meeting and they had to take me as I was, in my jeans, not my business attire and with eyes that I am sure they knew had suffered a hard blow. I am sure they knew I had been winded.

Work will be messy today and already off to a very delayed start. I am lucky that I am free to work in to the night tonight as I already plan to whip up and share their favourite dessert with them when they come home to give us an excuse to sit and catch up. To see them smiling……. I cannot wait for that.

Eton Mess is delightfully simple and celebrates the sweet strawberries that are in season once more. The meringues are hard on the exterior and soft and wonderful on the inside – it is not lost one me that the former is often how a child might see their parents but as they grow, they will discover that it was all a façade and there is a soft and wonderful middle ………just like a child’s.

Eton mess – ready and waiting for my gorgeous girls

Strawberry Eton Mess
Serves 6

6 large meringues (store bought or recipe to make your own is below)
1 ½ ups of lightly whipped cream
3 cups of strawberries or use a mix of strawberries and raspberries
2 tablespoons of caster sugar

Half the strawberries or thickly slice any extra large ones. Put in a large bowl with the raspberries (if using) and coat with the sugar. Give a good mix by hand or spoon as you really do want the berries to break down / macerate. Cover & place in fridge to macerate for an hour.

Lightly whip your cream and store in the fridge.

To assemble, break the meringues into large pieces and then fold in the whipped cream. Gently fold in the chilled berries. It should just be rippled together rather than perfectly blended. Pile in to glasses or small bowls and serve.

You can make this up to an hour in advance but any more than that and your meringue will be soggy.

To make your own meringues:

Homemade meringues

3 egg whites
1 cup caster sugar

Preheat oven to 120oC.

In a very clean & dry stainless stell or copper bowl, whisk your egg whites (I use electric beaters) until they hold soft peaks. Now add half od the sugar and whisk to blend well with the egg whites. Add the rest of your sugar and whisk until the mixture is glossy and holds stiff peaks.

Line a baking tray with baking paper. Dollop (or pipe) tablespoons of the meringue mixture on the baking trays. Place in the oven for 90 minutes and then remove from the oven and gently turn the meringues upside down to cook a further 20 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completely. Meringues store very well in an airtight container and away from heat and moisture.